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The Association of Retired Conservationists was organized by a group of retirees from the Wisconsin Conservation Department in the 1960's. By the mid-1970's, the WCD had been combined with the Department of Resource Development to form the Department of Natural Resources, and the retirees group had grown significantly, met monthly for lunch and began inviting speakers to address the group on issues of interest to the members. Today, the organization has more than two hundred members.

website contact: retiredrick@wisarc.org



What's New in 2025


Obituaries

Stevenson, Gordon Ray May 24, 2025
Meier,William “Bill” April 26, 2025
Kohn, Bruce Erick May 22, 2025
Fabke, Johanna Bliss May 22, 2025
Harpt, Thomas "Tom" May 22, 2025
Weizenicker, David, Lee March 15, 2025
Semmann, Ronald, Lee March 21, 2025
Lazarz, William Anthony March 2, 2025
Larson, Jennie Lynn February 21, 2025
Huppert, John February 18, 2025
Mark Mayo November 21, 2024





June 2025

Tim Eisele is a freelance outdoor writer and photographer who worked for the Department of Natural Resources from 1971 to 1978.

At DNR he worked in the Information and Education Bureau, within the Press Section, in Madison from 1971 to 1976. Following the arrival of a new DNR secretary the I&E bureau was “decentralized,” and Tim then worked as the District Information officer in Eau Claire for the West Central District for two years, before leaving DNR to return to Madison where he then worked in publications for a credit union insurance company until beginning freelancing full-time in 1995.

“I have the highest respect for DNR employees and worked with many wonderful people in Madison and Eau Claire, and was privileged to work at DNR during some of its ‘golden years.’ I’ve also had the wonderful opportunity during my years involved with natural resources to meet so many good and inspirational people in the conservation field.”

Tim has freelanced outdoor articles most recently for Wisconsin Outdoor News, covering the DNR and Natural Resources Board, but also for The Capital Times, Wisconsin State Journal, and Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. He also chaired the Publications Committee and edited Woodland Management magazine for 12 years providing information on forestry and wildlife for private woodland owners in the state. He also produced a newsletter, The Drumming Log, for Ruffed Grouse Society members throughout the U.S.

He has a B.B.A. degree from UW-Wisconsin, and M.S. degree in Agricultural Journalism. He was a founding board member and three-time president of the Wisconsin Outdoor Communicators Association, served on the U.W.-Madison Friends of the Arboretum board, Wisconsin Wetlands Association board, the Natural Resources Foundation board, and for 22 years served on the Board of Governors of the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame.

He and his wife Linda own acreage in Crawford County which they are trying to manage to increase biodiversity and benefit wildlife. They were selected as Wisconsin Wild Turkey Woodland Owners in 2005 by the Wisconsin chapter of the NWTF, and received the Crawford County Forestry Award in 2011.

Tim and Linda combined to help produce a booklet by Art Oehmcke, The Woodruff Hatchery Story, which tells about his friend Art’s work raising muskies for the State of Wisconsin.

In 2022 he gave a presentation when ARC asked how he became involved in outdoor writing and that is available on the ARC website: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bolMkd6WMaw

In 1994 he was asked to help judge the Federal Duck Stamp competition, and he has a presentation titled “Ding’s Darling,” that can be found at: https://youtu.be/WJKfNfxRcv4

Tim and Linda’s son is the executive director of Discovery Southeast, a non-profit environmental education organization in Juneau, Alaska, and when most people go south for the winter Tim and Linda go north to cross country ski in Alaska!



2025 Northern Region Retirees Luncheon Schedule


From: Dale Lang
Date: Wed, Apr 2, 2025
Subject: Lunch schedule for 2025

Some background. We’re an informal “organization” (not very well organized!). No dues or anything like that. We meet for lunch monthly, except in winter. We order and pay for our meals individually. Spouses, guests, etc. are welcome to join us.

Our group is basically DNR retirees from the Rhinelander, Woodruff, Tomahawk, and Antigo offices and field stations in those areas. We have a few members from Wausau, Park Falls, Mercer, etc. Retirees from other parts of the state who now live in the area are welcome, also. Folks who have moved out of the area may remain on the email list. Some on the list are spouses of deceased retirees, who have requested to remain on.

If you know retirees who are not on the list, please ask them to contact me. I have no way to know about new retirees unless someone tells me.

Here’s what we have:

April 8 - Outboards

May 13 - Shamrock

June 10 - Dinky Diner

July 8 - Ten Point

Aug 12 - Shamrock

Sept 9 - CT’s

Oct 14 - Tilted Loon

Nov 11 - Dinky Diner

Dec 9 - Town Pump

For our lunches, we meet starting at 11:00 and eat at noon, except as noted below.

Outboards Bar & Grill, 616 N 4th St, Tomahawk.
Outboards doesn’t require a reservation, so whoever gets there first, just let them know there will be a group.
Outboards Bar & Grill.

Dinky Diner, 130 N Brown St, Rhinelander. They have reopened in a new location, with a meeting room!
Terrie and Ricks Dinky Diner

Ten Point Bar & Grill, 3983 Harshaw Rd, Harshaw. Ten Point Bar & Grill

Shamrock Pub ‘N Eatery, downtown Lake Tomahawk, 7235 Bradley Street (Hwy 47). Shamrock Pub ‘N Eatery

CT’s Deli, downtown Rhinelander, 17 N Brown St. We usually have the Community Room. Since this is a deli, you order your drinks and food at the counter, pick up your drinks, then they call your name when your food is ready, and you get it from the food counter. It might be good if you place your order when you get there, so we’re not all ordering at the same time.
CT's Deli

Tilted Loon Saloon, 1969 Co Rd L, Tomahawk, on Lake Nokomis.
Tilted Loon Saloon

Town Pump, 7161 Highway 8, 7 miles west of Rhinelander.
Town Pump

Thanks,

Dale Lang
d2langs@charter.net



2024 Statewide Retired Wildlife
Fall Manager Meeting


Rice Lake

This photo was taken at the get-together picnic of retired DNR employees, many from wildlife, in Rice Lake during the Fall of 2024.



Going around the table clockwise starting with Bruce Moss (far left)- then Randy McDonough, Paul Kooiker, Paul Peterson, Mike Zeckmiester, Mike Johnson, Ken Jonas, Jim Riemer (USFWS), Dave Evenson, Kevin Morgan, Gary Dunsmoor, Jim Bryce.